Long Live the Queen
by Biana Delacroix
Summary: It's one thing to love Klaus, but ruling by his side is a different matter entirely. And if Caroline Forbes was going to prove her place to the city of New Orleans, then she was going to have to figure out just what kind of ruler she wanted to be. Two-Shot. Semi Sequel to 'Souvenirs of You'.
1. Part I

**Author's Note: Hello Everyone! This story serves as a semi-sequel to my previous Klaroline oneshot, 'Souvenirs of You'. You don't have to read that first to get the gist, though it does serve to contextualize what's going on, how Caroline ended up in New Orleans and some details about the fight for the city. Long story short: this is a New Orleans shortly after a four year long war between Marcel and Klaus, with Marcel ending up dead. **

**This is a planned two-shot, so here's Part I, hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries and characters are the property of the CW and Julie Plec. Otherwise, Stefan wouldn't be at the bottom of a lake. **

* * *

For the record, Caroline knew exactly what she was getting herself into. She's not actually a Barbie Doll, and despite what the blonde hair and bubbly personality may lead people to think, she is well and fully aware of what her boyfriend is capable of.

(Is _boyfriend _even the word for him? It seems too juvenile, but '_partner_' doesn't convey the depth of their relationship, '_lover' _is too intimate for casual conversation and no major questions have been popped…)

Whatever she calls him, she knows that they do love each other, fiercely, deeply, and for him, this tends to translate into an almost violent protective streak. When they grace the streets of New Orleans with their presence, his hand instinctively finds hers, pulling her close even as they go sightseeing where the most harmful creature is usually just an overzealous human angling for a better view.

("Really love; I don't know why you insist on these ridiculous tours, I know these places much better –"

"Oh, relax _Nik, _I want to see all this stuff as a tourist before I go full native!")

But when the sun goes down over the French Quarter and the supernatural come out to play, then Klaus is in his element. His kingdom was hard won and he would be damned if he was about to let anybody question his place in it, much less the beautiful woman by his side. An arm wound around her waist, ears pricked for any unsavoury remarks on her appearance (complimentary or otherwise, he doesn't really differentiate), fangs ready to erupt at anyone stupid or drunk enough to try and threaten them; he was in constant awareness of anybody who might target Caroline to get to him.

Caroline was fully aware of all of this. He wasn't exactly subtle to begin with, even when 'business' called him away, she knew he had eyes on her, be it his own, his lackeys' or his family. And while she can understand why _he _was going overboard (well, no, she can't _really _understand it, but it's Klaus, he never does things by halves), she's a little confused as to why his siblings are constantly watching her. She supposes it could stem from some sort of familial affection, wanting to help 'protect' her on his behalf, but then she notices the look in Elijah's eyes when they're out in public sometimes, like he's assessing her. When they sit together in their favourite bar and she tries to mingle with the local vampires or witches (though she's never left alone in conversation with them for long), she sees Rebekah scrutinizing her behavior, and frankly, it's getting annoying.

Although she had only been in New Orleans for two months, she knows the situation is tense. This was a town filled with powerful creatures, all of whom were coming down from that post-war high and figuring out where their allegiances lay and she had her pride but she wasn't an idiot, she knew when to admit she was outgunned. The vampires of the Quarter were older, stronger, faster and generally more hedonistic. They were also looking for new leadership. Obviously, her power-hungry, control-freak boyfriend/lover/partner/hybrid-she-loves-dearly-ev en-when-he-drives-her-up-the-wall wanted their loyalty. So really, who could blame Miss Mystic Falls for painting on her best smile and _trying_ to smooth the waters a little?

Apparently, Klaus could.

"What the _fuck, _Klaus?!" seethed Caroline, rubbing her reddened wrist, which he had kept a tight grip on as he had dragged her all the way from the crowded bar, to their bedroom in the stately French Quarter mansion. Klaus stood with his back to her, locking the huge mahogany doors to their room and she could see the tension dissipating from his shoulders, though he remained rigid. After leaning his head against the wood for a moment, he spun to face her, taking a deep breath.

"Love, what exactly were you doing with those _cretins?"_

"_Cretins?_ Klaus, they were just some vampires and a couple of witches! The same kind of people _you _are working so hard to 'rule' over, so forgive me for socializing!" she yelled incredulously. To be fair, the whole 'alpha-male' aspect of him was mostly directed towards the poor saps who questioned his power, but the rare time it turned her way, it got her blood boiling.

(And _not_ in the good way. Well, a _little_ in the good way.)

"You should be more discreet, Caroline. You can't just make yourself known to every supernatural you come across in this town" he said in a placating tone, and she could see how hard he was trying to reign in his anger, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"And why the hell not?" she asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow defiantly. Everybody else could bow down to him; it'd be a cold day in hell before she did.

"For God's sake Caroline, don't you realize how dangerous this place can be?!"

"I'm not an idiot, Klaus, but didn't _you _win control of New Orleans? Even if they're not all loyal to you, they wouldn't just make a move against you in public!"

"_You don't know that!" _he spat out, and marched closer, stopping just in front of her and meeting her challenging stare. "The vampires I can handle well enough, but there are some witches who would be more than happy to rid New Orleans of me and everyone I love!"

Caroline took a step back and uncrossed her arms, recognizing the very real fear that had crept into his eyes. _'But why would he need to be afraid…"_

"But I thought that – Stefan told me, right when he called to say Marcel was dead, he said that there were peace negotiations going on, and you've said nothing about this since I got here – Klaus, what the hell is _actually_ going on?"

He had the decency to look a little sheepish at her question and Caroline knew immediately she's not going to like his answer. '_Please, don't tell me he made things worse.' _

But he remained silent, and was trying very hard not to make eye contact.

"Klaus… you told the witches you didn't want to control them like Marcel did, right?"

More silence. Caroline let out a sigh and hung her head back.

"You wanted to control them like Marcel did, didn't you?"

"I wanted my safety ensured!" he snapped defensively. "Marcel's method of keeping them under his thumb was very effective, with all of their power, no enemy would dare to face me, dare to face _us. _You don't have to glare at me sweetheart, Elijah talked me out of it, but –"

"But not before some of them figured out what you were planning. Klaus, just how bad is it?" She can't help but let some of her own doubt and worry seep into her question. After all, he had pushed her away four years ago because of how dangerous the war with Marcel was going to get, and she had no way of knowing if his thick over-protective skull would try to do the same thing again.

'_Let him try. I'm not going anywhere.' _She was struck by how forceful she sounded, even in her own head. Staring at the man in front of her, she knew with absolute certainty that she was not leaving his side, screw whoever came after them. Four years ago, she was willing to go because she knew when to leave a fight that wasn't hers but now…now there was no walking away. She knew what it was like to be with him, to _love _him and she wasn't going to let go of that.

'_They may be older, stronger and faster. But they're not ruining this.' _

Whatever inner anxiety was playing out inside her head must have shown on her face because Klaus' features immediately softened and he came forward, winding his strong arms around her and pulling her body against his. Caroline was still ticked off at his earlier display of aggression but she understood where he was coming from. She hadn't witnessed it firsthand, but she had heard of the absolute carnage that littered the French Quarter in the struggle for power. Blood ran in the streets. Vampires disappeared from their homes, never to be seen again. If all of that was going to start up again, she didn't doubt Klaus would make damn well sure she wasn't exposed to any of it, even if he had to lock her in the mansion himself.

"You don't have to worry, love," he murmured softly in her ear, and in his secure hold, it was hard for Caroline to hold on to her anger or even worry about possible threats. "I'm going to keep you safe. I'm going to keep you protected."

"I just don't want to live in constant paranoia, Nik. I don't want to have to be afraid of everyone I talk to." Her face was buried in his chest, her own arms wrapped around his waist and she relished in the feeling of warmth, her resolve to stay by his side strengthening.

He tightened his grip around her and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "I meant what I said, sweetheart. _Nothing _will ever happen to you on my watch. I won't let them lay a finger on you." His words are reassuring enough, but now Caroline had a new worry nagging at her.

She didn't want to be some shut away doll, hidden from the world until the danger passed. It had only been two months, but all New Orleans knew of her was that she was some pretty young thing on Klaus' arm. He and his siblings (even Stefan!) had built up a fearsome reputation but she had nothing to stand on save her association to them, and the thought rankled her. She had been a Barbie doll for too long, wasn't it time she proved her worth? Not just to him, or his family…but to herself?

If the French Quarter was going to know peace, then there were more fights to be had. And if Caroline Forbes was going to prove her place, she couldn't be 'the blonde distraction', Miss Mystic Falls, neurotic control-freak on crack.

She was going to have to be a queen.

* * *

"UGH. I don't know what to _do_, Stefan!" Caroline slammed her head down against the bar top, her now empty glass clenched tightly in her hand. Thankfully, it was still fairly early in the day, so the place was empty save for her, Stefan, and a few day drinkers who had more problems than the young blonde having a personal crisis at ten in the morning.

(The bartender, Camille, was there too. Seriously, she had finished her degree a while ago, why was she still tending this bar? Caroline suspected it had something to do with an interest in Klaus. Suffice it to say, Camille was not her favourite person.)

Beside her, Stefan remained infuriatingly calm and just chuckled at her outburst. "Caroline, what exactly are you planning on doing anyway? Do you want to help more with the rogue vampire issue? Because I'm sure Klaus has given you the whole 'I'm going to protect you from the world' speech, but if you want to be involved I can talk to –"

"That's just it; I don't want people talking for me anymore! I don't just want to be the blonde beauty queen that follows you guys around, I want more, I want to be…"

"You want to be what?"

"I want to be queen" she mumbled into the countertop. "Don't laugh at me, Salvatore!" she cried indignantly, snapping her head up.

"Sorry, sorry Caroline!" said Stefan, trying very hard to contain his laughter. "It's just – I mean I knew Klaus took the whole modern supernatural monarch thing seriously, but I didn't think you bought into that too!"

"I didn't think I did either," she replied, nursing her empty glass, "but recently I've been thinking I need to step up. I mean I know people around her are probably confused about me –"

"Oh, they're definitely confused," interrupted a voice. Camille had stood up from where she had been putting away glasses behind the bar and Caroline bristled at her obvious eavesdropping.

"I mean, look – Klaus is kind of a mystery around here. He shows up about four years ago, immediately threatens Marcel and starts a war for power. He had no one to back him up except for his family and this one," she nodded her head towards Stefan, "and for some reason, witches started to align themselves with him. Then, Marcel retaliated by killing most of those witches and that just set him off. Fast forward through a four-year long bloodbath and Marcel is dead and suddenly he's king. And _then, _a young blonde vampire whom nobody knows just walks in–"

"Yeah, I get it Camille–"

"And suddenly, our new 'King' is ready to tear out the throat of anyone who looks at you funny. Most of them don't even know your name, and you don't really look like the type to hang around Klaus so –"

"Yes, thank you Camille–"

"Plus, I've been trying to understand Klaus for the longest time, and to be honest I never figured he'd ever get into a relationship, especially with somebody like –"

"Oh, _shut up _Camille!" Caroline had never been more glad to hear Rebekah's posh drawl and her own glare had the bartender clamming up and scurrying to the other end of the counter. She turned back to see the blonde Original dump her designer purse on the bar and hop on the stool next to Stefan, quickly pecking him on the lips before turning her attention to Caroline.

"Cheer up, Camille's been mooning after Nik for years but he never glanced at her twice. Despite your similarities, I'm quite certain you kept his thoughts occupied."

"Caroline's not worried about that, she's worried about becoming 'Queen' of New Orleans" said Stefan.

"Thanks for that Stef," said Caroline drily. "It's just…I'm not sure how to do it. I know Klaus wants me here but I'm afraid he'll just keep me sequestered away when things get rough and I want to prove that I can stand by his side."

"Nik doesn't expect that of you, you know. Much as I can't believe it, he does seem to care for you as more than some passing fancy; he won't actually think less of you if you don't want to do the whole 'monarchy' thing."

"Please Rebekah; I've seen how you and Elijah watch me when we're in public, you're seeing how I fit in, aren't you?"

Rebekah avoided the question, choosing instead to reach over and under the bar, pulling out the first bottle and glass she felt. As she poured a drink for herself, she found her answer. "Caroline, when I first met you, you were a cheerleader, planning dances and prank nights. You were a vampire, but still a teenage girl. When we found out just how serious Nik was about you…we didn't know how you'd adjust to all of this. But I stand by my brother on this, neither Elijah nor I are expecting you to be fully comfortable with all of this."

Caroline frowned, gripping her glass tightly. She knew Rebekah was trying to be reassuring, but she just proved that even more people didn't _'expect'_ anything of her. They didn't think she had it in her to move past Mystic Falls, but then again, didn't she have those same doubts?

"Look, Caroline, you're a modern woman. So if you want to be 'queen' then stand your ground and show the bloody peasants in this city that you mean to rule them!" Rebekah downed her drink and slammed her glass down on the bar. "What's stopping you?"

Caroline raised her head and faced Stefan and Rebekah, who both looked very interested to hear her answer. "It's complicated! I know I want to be his equal and stand by Klaus' side but I don't want to change who I am and I'm scared of the person I could be because I don't want to end up losing sight of what I–"

"Caroline, you're rambling" interrupted Stefan.

She took a breath and tried to collect her thoughts but her mind was just a confused mess.

Stefan looked sympathetic, at least. "Care, we said it before; no one is going to force you to change into anything you're not ready to be."

"But _they _expect me to be something, and I don't want to give them reason to think I'm weak. Plus… I don't want to let Nik down."

"You seriously think you'd be letting him down?" asked Rebekah.

"Well, no, but I think – I think I'd be letting _myself _down. I knew what I was walking into when I came here. I just didn't think about how hard adjusting would actually be."

"So, tell Nik. He'll take you to London or Paris and you'll be happy as lovebirds, far away from all of this."

"NO! After everything he went through with Marcel?! I couldn't ask him to just leave. I knew exactly what being with him meant and I know I want to face it. I can't run away from this."

Stefan appraised her, noting her determination. "Honestly, it sounds like you've made up your mind."

She nodded absentmindedly. She knew exactly what she wanted; now she just had to work up the courage to go after it. It almost reminded her of how she felt when she was still figuring out her feelings for Klaus, when she was scared of her darkest desires. If she wanted the same kind of respect the others had (and she did, so badly), wouldn't it mean ruling through fear and intimidation? Deep down, she knew she could do it, she could learn. But at what cost?

'_Stay the same Caroline and forever be a walking target, or change and become the feared Queen of New Orleans?'_

This was going to be difficult.

* * *

Another agonized scream tore through the mansion. It must have been the thousandth that long night, all from the same individual, a young vampire currently tied up and drugged with vervain in one of the basement's dark and dank rooms. This home in New Orleans was old, Caroline knew that, built when the city was first founded with the express purpose of housing the Original family in style, but she had rolled her eyes when Klaus had first shown her the small maze of rooms under the house, made with an eye for keeping their enemies captive.

'_Of course he'd build torture chambers into every house he owns.'_

At the time, the rooms hadn't really bothered Caroline, she'd merely glanced around the musty corridors before skipping back up the stairs to the main levels, which were beautifully decorated and drenched in sun. She loved this house, she loved the people in it, and it was so easy for her to laugh with Rebekah over chick flicks or let Klaus twirl her into his arms in the comfort of their bedroom as the sounds of the city filtered through the French windows, completely forgetting the locked doors underneath their feet.

But they were there, and though their purpose was never spoken off, it was only a matter of time before they were put to use. The space above was beautiful, but it hid darkness and Caroline wanted to groan at the too-perfect allegory for the hybrid she loved. But now that she stopped dwell on the matter, the thought of Klaus actually building himself torture chambers didn't actually bother her as much as it once might have. It was disturbing as hell, but she'd just gotten so used to what the Original family was capable of, she'd barely batted an eyelash. She'd been creeped out, but not as much as she maybe should've been, and that was what worried her.

'_A little more time and I'll be like this house. Beautiful on the outside but hiding the potential for something terrible.'_

Caroline didn't have too much time to ruminate on her inner morals in relation to interior design because one more scream was ripped from the throat of the poor soul undergoing Klaus' regimen. This time he sounded hoarse and tired, she doubted he'd be able to hold on from much longer. From her spot on the top of the stairs that led down into the basement, she could hear every threat, every retort that echoed off the stone walls. It reminded her of being a kid and listening to her parents fight when they thought she was asleep. It was a practice that had made her very good at sitting still and silent and following every detail of a fight just off what she could hear.

"_You can end this for yourself right now, mate. Just tell me what I need to know."_

Cold silence. Klaus was getting frustrated, she could tell.

"_My patience is wearing thin, TELL ME WHO IS PLOTTING AGAINST ME!" _

Caroline flinched at his roar. She had to give the prisoner some credit, he still kept his silence. If she was going to do anything, it would have to be soon before Klaus finally gave in and killed him. At the sound of another pained howl she zipped down the staircase and ducked into an adjacent cell to gather her courage. She could only hear silence and for a moment she wondered if Klaus had actually ended him but a couple of ragged breaths from the captive indicated he had managed to hold off.

"_Perhaps I'll give you a short reprieve to think on your loyalties. Take a few minutes to remember which King you serve now."_

Loud footsteps echoed throughout the basement, stopping for the briefest second outside the cell in which Caroline hid. She thought about going out, but she needed a moment to herself to talk herself through what she was about to do. Eventually, the footsteps ascended the stairs and Caroline took a deep breath to steel herself, almost doubling over at the overwhelming scent of blood nearby. Whatever she was about to go into, it was bad.

'_I know what he's capable of. I know what he's capable of.' _

Repeating this mantra, Caroline held her head high and marched out of the cell, stopping in front of the one holding the vampire prisoner. She held her breath as she slowly pushed the door open, expecting the worst on the other side.

The worst is exactly what she got.

In the center of the stone cell, an iron chair was riveted to the ground, a young man shackled down, vervain soaked chains covering his torso. Caroline grimaced at the unwanted memory of a similar form of capture in the old Lockwood Cellar, but she's sure that no matter what torture she underwent, she never looked this bad.

There was barely an inch of him that wasn't covered in blood, it seeped through his clothes and matted his hair. He was barely conscious, his head hung on his chest. Deep gashes crisscrossed his stomach and chest, and from what Caroline could make out, they were healing, but incredibly slowly. She hesitantly took a step into the room and shut the door wooden door behind her, careful not to make too much noise.

The prisoner raised his head slightly; Caroline fought a wince when she saw his face. Klaus had seriously done a number on him. His eyes were almost swollen shut, large purple bruises covering them, but he could just about raise his eyebrows in what she assumed was a gesture of surprise. He opened his mouth slightly but the only sound to come out was a faint noise from the back of his throat. She realized he was too weak to form words.

Casting an eye over the rest of the cell, she took in the array of metal instruments on a wooden table in the corner. A wide selection of knives was strewn across it, most stained with blood. There was also a small cooler, walking over to it; she found it filled with blood bags. A chill ran up her spine as she realized they were hardly a form of mercy, Klaus would need to keep his captives alive if they were going to tell him anything useful. At least it served her purposes now.

Taking one of the bags, she made her way back in front of the prisoner and kneeled down in front of him. He raised his head slightly to meet her eyes and she gave him a soft smile.

"I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I'm going to give you some of this blood."

She ripped off the top of the bag's straw with her teeth and gingerly put it to his mouth. He reacted to the substance instantly, slurping it up greedily. When he was done, the bruises on his face had faded minimally, but he had the strength to lift his head and speak, though his voice was faint and hoarse.

"Didn't know Mikaelson kept pretty blondes around to play nurse."

"He doesn't keep – I'm not a nurse."

"Say whatever you like darlin', I wouldn't mind you patching me up." Despite his mangled appearance he managed a smirk and Caroline internally rolled her eyes.

'_Nothing like a strong male ego to overcome a beating.'_

"What's your name?" she asked, trying to keep her tone as non-threatening as possible.

"Vincent. And yourself, sweetcheeks?"

"I'm Caroline."

"Well Caroline, are you the halftime entertainment? Here to soften me up before your boyfriend comes back for Round 2?"

"Well, I wouldn't call him my boyfriend…" she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

A half-grin spread across Vincent's face, though it just looked like he was grimacing in pain. "He doesn't know you're here, does he?"

Caroline still avoided eye contact, grateful that he was chained up and too weak to take advantage of the situation in any way. She was already beginning to wonder if she was in over her head.

"So the big bad wolf can't even keep his own bitches in line. Oh, Landon's gonna love this." He chuckled slightly but ended up wheezing, painfully. Caroline guessed some vervain had made its way down his throat at some point, and probably a lot if an entire blood bag hadn't healed it.

Still, she had a hard time feeling too sorry for him, if he was going to be an ass. "You're not making a very convincing case for yourself here," she told him sharply, "in case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to help you."

His eyes turned serious and he stared her down for a moment. "You are, aren't you? You're helping me. Well I guess I can't complain about that. Now, if you could just…" He made an effort to shift around in his chains, but he winced as more vervain soaked into his skin. He let out a pained yelp, shutting his eyes against the sting.

"Keep quiet!" whispered Caroline harshly, listening for any footsteps. She stood up and flashed back to the wooden table, quickly donning a pair of black leather gloves she found amongst the knives. Walking back to Vincent's chair, she ripped off the chains as quickly as she could, and undid the shackles on the armrests.

Vincent tried to stand up but ended up keeling over. Caroline knelt beside him and raised his arm over her shoulders.

"Come on, easy does it." She half-dragged him out of the cell and instead of heading for the staircase leading upstairs they ventured deeper into the basement's darkness.

"Wait…I need some blood first."

"There's no time, if you're getting out of here, you need to do it now!"

"You know sweetcheeks, you really don't seem like the type to hang around the big ol' hybrid. Why're you helping anyway?"

"I guess I got tired of listening to you wail like a dying cat for five hours" she muttered.

"Nah, you definitely don't have the stomach for this. Livin' with Mikaelson can't be a cakewalk."

"You know for somebody who can't walk, you talk a hell of a lot. Mind shutting up?"

"Seriously darlin', what's the story?"

Caroline huffed, and tried dragging him faster towards the only other exit she knew. _'If I could just find the damn door in the dark.'_

"Look, Klaus is just extra-stressed at the moment, he's convinced every witch in New Orleans is trying to kill him."

Vincent just scoffed in derision. "Please. As if those fucking pussies would even help. All they want is their peace so they can sit around playin' with herbs all day."

Caroline let out a sigh, ready for her little adventure to be over with. They finally came to a small stone staircase, leading to cellar doors. Leaving Vincent's body in a heap at the bottom, Caroline ran up the steps and pushed the doors open. Then, (with considerable effort) she helped/dragged him up the stairs after her until he was lying on the grass outside.

"Listen, you don't have a lot of time, so I suggest you get going, _now._"

Wincing with every movement, Vincent managed to stand on his own. Freedom seemed to kick in whatever adrenaline he had left, and he started limping away. Stopping for just a moment, he looked back to Caroline.

"Uh…aren't you coming, sweetcheeks?"

Caroline shook her head vehemently. "I'm not leaving with you, but you have maybe thirty seconds before he finds you again."

He gave her a confused look before continuing on his way. Even in the quieter part of the French Quarter where the mansion was, the height of Mardi Gras season meant an abundance of tourists, and Caroline knew he wouldn't make it far before finding some way to restore his strength. She wondered if she should feel a pang of guilt that she had let a rabid monster out onto the streets, but she reasoned that she had her own monster to deal with.

'_Besides, one vampire off the streets will not make New Orleans any safer for the humans.'_

Her morality was becoming one giant gray area, and this preoccupied her thoughts as she made her way back to the cell. She shed her gloves on the table and then gripped the edges as she tried to make sense of her emotions. She had done what she wanted, gone through with her plan and she was proud, really…but taking another look at the torture implements she was forcibly reminded of what kind of world she was diving into.

Gulping down a few deep breaths, Caroline squared her shoulders before beginning to head back up to the main floor. Sooner or later, Klaus was going to come looking for her, and it was better for her to put on a brave face and find him first. Wandering past the living room she jumped at the sudden disturbance to the silence.

"Was Vincent accommodating, love?" He stood by the fireplace, tumbler of scotch in hand. She walked towards him, doing her best to look as unaffected as possible.

"Very. In fact, he talked too much."

"Young vampires often do. Arrogant creatures, even at the worst of times." Caroline was startled to hear Elijah's voice, and found him sitting in an armchair near the corner of the room, so silent that she hadn't even noticed him.

(If she was going to hold her own as a vampire, she _had _to work on her senses.)

Klaus pulled her attention back to him, face stony. "I trust you found out what we needed?"

Caroline nodded, holding her head up with a proud smile. "You don't need to worry about the witches anymore, they just want peace. But he did mention someone named Landon- does that mean anything to either of you?"

"He was part of Marcel's inner circle. Very loyal, if I remember correctly" answered Klaus.

"So, is he a problem?"

Klaus avoided her gaze, instead staring straight at his older brother who sipped his own drink before returning Klaus' look. Both said nothing, and Caroline felt herself getting irritated.

(It was one of those 'looks' that probably meant they were having an entire conversation without actually saying anything. Could Original Vampires read minds? Damn, she hoped not.)

"So…Landon? Should we be worried, or did I drag Vincent's ass around that creepy basement while getting hit on for nothing?"

Klaus growled at that, "I don't know why we had to let the bastard go. He made an attempt on my life, I should be holding his heart in my hands right now."

"Niklaus, the boy thought you could be killed with a regular wooden stake, clearly he was young, foolish, uninformed, and ultimately harmless" sighed Elijah.

"It's the principle of the matter, brother; I have a reputation to uphold!"

"Regardless, he's gone now. If nothing else, he'll be able to spread word of what happens to anyone who crosses us. If he chooses to boast of his escape, then our enemies will let their guard down. And most importantly," he raised his glass to Caroline, "Miss Forbes will be out of the line of fire, if they consider her a potential ally."

Klaus bristled again, irritated by the thought of any of his enemies thinking about Caroline at all. Elijah noticed his brother's mood and knowing he could do nothing to assuage it; he decided to leave the task to Caroline and took his leave, bidding them both a quick goodnight and making his way up to his room.

Caroline remained in her spot in the middle of the room, biting her lip. They had both avoided her question, she noticed, and they were almost certainly hiding a larger story from her, but she decided not to press the issue tonight. It had been hard enough selling Klaus on the whole 'Good Vampire, Bad Vampire' routine. He still looked angry and she knew he was going over every possible way this could've gone wrong.

With a small sigh, she walked up to him and plucked his glass out of his hand, setting it on the mantle, and then pulled him in front of the fire. She took his arms and pulled them around her waist before looping her own arms around his neck. His eyes softened as he met her gaze, and she smiled reassuringly. "Hey, relax. This was my idea, remember? I _wanted _to do this, I wanted to help you."

"I know love, I know. And I want you to know…I am proud of you. Fiercely proud. I hate the thought of you in any danger, but you were right, in the end, he told you what you needed. Wouldn't even say a word in front of me."

"Well, people like me, remember?"

He chuckled softly. "Quite right. But love, I have to ask, what brought this on?"

Caroline ducked her head, feeling a little embarrassed. "I guess… it's been building for a while. I just felt like I needed to do something. I don't think I could've lived in this city with you and your family without becoming involved sooner or later. The vampires in this city can be a little – "

"Has someone threatened you?" he cut her off sharply. "Has anybody made you feel unsafe, because if so just say the word and – "

"No! Nothing like that. It's just…I don't think I feel like I belong with you, in this world, unless I show _them_ that I do."

Klaus frowned, tightening his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against his body. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look him dead in the eyes. "Listen to me, Caroline. You belong _here._ Right here, in my arms. It's too late for me to entertain the thought of a life without you now, and rest assured sweetheart, you have nothing to prove, not to anyone. _I love you_. Completely."

She felt her heart swell at his words and leant up to kiss him. He responded in kind and they stood like that for a few moments, entangled in each other, before breathlessly pulling away. Caroline stopped herself from letting things get carried away too quickly, she needed to try and explain herself to him first.

"Klaus…it's not just that I'm trying to prove anything to anyone else. I think I need to do this for myself too, but I don't know if I can. I don't want to forget who I am, or wind up over my head and end up doing something I'll regret."

"Sweetheart, I would never want you to become something you're not."

"I know. And thank you for that. But I still need to figure out how to do this."

Klaus nodded his understanding, then smirked, running his hands down from her waist to the back of her thighs and in one swift motion he had picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Tell you what, love" he said in a low growl, pressing kisses to the column of her neck. "We'll continue this conversation another time, but for _now_," he sped them over to the large staircase and began to make his way up, "how about I show you just how proud I am of you?"

Caroline grinned, tightening her arms around his neck. She'd be their Queen tomorrow. Tonight, she was his.

* * *

**And that's Part I! Leave a review, let me know what you think, and with any luck, Part II will be up shortly.**

**Now I think I'm going to watch the Klaroline scenes from the season finale for the 200th time. Bye!**


	2. Part II

**AN: Thank you so much for the reviews, the favourites and the follows to Part I! You have no idea how much I appreciated the response, you are all amazing people. Here's Part II, I hope it doesn't disappoint! **

**Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the property of Warner Brothers and Julie Plec. Pretty sure Caroline would already be in New Orleans otherwise.**

* * *

There was no better time to party than Mardis Gras. And there was no better place to celebrate Mardis Gras than the city of New Orleans.

It probably wasn't too safe and Caroline knew that Klaus and Elijah were still keeping something about the rogue vampire problem from her, but she had been obsessing over that issue for a week. So tonight, she was saying 'screw it' and enjoying the best that New Orleans could offer.

If there was anything that could have taken her mind off potential threats to her new family, it was the buzz of the crowd that permeated throughout the Quarter, locals and tourists, humans and vampires, all brought together in a haze of music, laughter and alcohol. It was loud, crowded, hot and an assault on the senses. It was _wonderful. _

She licked her lips, enjoying the lingering taste of some of the city's best gumbo, which had been spiked with blood, a favourite recipe of the town's resident vampires, enjoyed only during the Mardis Gras season. It was the sort of thing that would've have made her gag once, but now she wished she had tried a bit more of it before their small group had found a spot on one of Bourbon's Street's famous balconies, overlooking the melee of party-goers. Caroline was in awe of the sights and sounds, the absurd costumes and the street bands, all adding to the atmosphere.

"Here you go, love. Have a few of these." Klaus was pressed close to her side, and he presented her a handful of colorful beaded necklaces that were being passed around the crowd on the balcony. Looking around she noticed the people surrounding her letting out whoops and tossing the necklaces to the eager horde below. Grinning, she leant far over the railing, feeling Klaus' protective grip on her waist, ensuring she didn't accidentally tip over and land on some poor soul on the ground.

(Sometimes, she thinks Klaus forgets she's a vampire, with vampire reflexes. Then again, his hands are warm and it's the thought that counts.)

Letting out a joyful yell, she threw the necklaces to the masses, earning cheers in response. She turned back to see Klaus' beaming face which mirrored her own. In moments like these, she knew she made the right choice. Together, they were as happy as they had each always wanted to be, and Caroline was never going to let anything come in the middle of that.

Tugging at her waist, Klaus pulled Caroline back over the railing and set her on her feet, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"So what do you think of Mardis Gras, sweetheart?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"Well, I can see why you wanted to rule New Orleans so badly."

Klaus grinned, and tightened his grip as lowered his lips to her ear. "You should've seen the festivities when I first built this town. I founded the first Krewe, threw the first masquerade ball, and started all the best traditions…"

"Unfortunately Niklaus, I fear those 'traditions' have been debased somewhat." Elijah's voice was rife with disdain and Caroline bit her lip to suppress a giggle. He looked out of place enough in one of his trademark suits –

(Though, if he wore anything but a suit, she was pretty sure she wouldn't recognize him)

–but his formality amongst the buzzed horde made him stick out like a sore thumb. She leant forward over the railing again trying to figure out what had earned his ire and rolled her eyes at the college girls below, who had been flashing them, vying for attention.

"Oh relax Elijah, they're just having fun!" slurred Rebekah, who was still a bit tipsy from their post-dinner blood cocktails and was now leaning over the railing herself, egging on the partiers. Stefan was right next to her, laughing, as he pulled her back.

"Alright, they won't be having fun if you land on them."

Rebekah pouted at him, before turning to Caroline who was still wrapped up in her brother's arms, and shot her an evil smirk.

"Come on Caroline, what do you say we go down and join them? You wanted to be Queen of this city right? Might as well give you an authentic Mardis Gras experience!"

Caroline snorted, and she didn't have to turn around to imagine the murderous look Klaus was shooting his little sister.

"Mind your manners, Bekah" he growled and both girls couldn't contain their peals of laughter any more. Feeling the growl in his chest, Caroline turned in Klaus' arms and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, which still did nothing to ease the incensed expression off his face.

"You seriously think I want to be down there when I have the best seat in the house?" she asked with a coy grin.

Klaus returned her smirk and leant down to properly kiss her, intent on proving to the surrounding masses just who would be seeing all of Caroline tonight before the sound of a throat clearing stopped him. Klaus glared up at his brother, expecting some sort of reprimand for too much PDA, (he and Caroline could get carried away sometimes), but Elijah's focus was centered on a young brunette who was pressing a note into his hand.

Caroline looked between the two Original brothers, trying to figure out why the mood had suddenly shifted. One moment they had been carefree and exuberant, but now the air seemed to still around the five vampires, despite the party that raged on around them. Elijah was reading a note that had been given to him, though the messenger was running off, nobody moved to stop her.

"Klaus, who was that?"

Klaus' eyes were sharp and alert, zeroed in on the small piece of paper Elijah was holding. "She's a witch. One of the few who managed to survive after Marcel massacred all who were helping us four years ago" he said, not meeting her questioning gaze.

Caroline frowned, knowing that while the witches were out of the fray, they still didn't make a habit of running errands between vampires.

'_Unless there was a threat that they couldn't ignore.'_

Elijah was responsible for bringing about the peace with the witch population, so Caroline could understand why they weren't afraid to approach him, but now, in the middle of a Mardis Gras parade? The fact that Klaus still wasn't looking at her told her it probably had something to do with the mysterious 'Landon' situation, which he still hadn't explained to her.

'_Stupid over-protective hybrid.'_

Elijah folded the note and put it away in his pocket, nodding quickly to the others before turning on his heels and striding away (which was a feat considering how packed the balconies were. Still, when Elijah Mikaelson 'strides' towards you, you get out of the way.)

"Right, well, I guess that party's done" said Rebekah, suddenly very sober. She looked nervous and turned to her older brother, who seemed to silently communicate a wealth of directions to her. Nodding once, she grabbed Stefan by the elbow and tugged him away. He shot Caroline an apologetic look, knowing how confused she was before following his girlfriend through the crowd.

Caroline was stunned and getting a bit more panicked by the second. Klaus was still embracing her but for once she didn't feel safe at all, and that was probably because he was scanning the flood of people below, looking for friends or foes, she couldn't tell. It didn't take her long to put the picture together; the way the others had run off told her this was a moment they had been preparing for and keeping from her. The thought pushed away any fear she was feeling and she slowly felt herself getting incredibly pissed.

"Klaus, you tell me right now, _what the fuck is going on?" _

Pulling his eyes away from his search, he met Caroline's stare and reached up to cup her face. "Listen carefully, sweetheart. That Landon fellow you heard about – he's trying to stir up some insurgents, the surviving members of Marcel's gang. It's not serious, not yet, but we need to cut them off at the pass."

"Alright, fine. We'll do that, we'll find them, we'll bargain with them or –what?" she asked, noticing the uneasy look on his face.

"Sweetheart, please understand, I can't have you in the middle of this. If anything happens, if they grab you or stake you or hurt you in any way, I'll – you know what, I don't know what I'll do, because I meant what I said when I told you I can't entertain the thought of a life without you. _I need you to survive this._"

His words were pleading and desperate and she believed him completely – but she knew she wasn't going to like what came next.

"You're going to send me home aren't you?" she asked, a little bitterly.

He nodded, still holding her face in his hands and he leant down, pressing his lips against hers fiercely, but just for a moment. "_Please, _love. I've got my vampires in the street, they're spread out but they'll be able to watch out for you, go home immediately. Don't run though, these rebels don't know we're on to them and we can't risk them thinking anything's out of the ordinary."

"So you let the others stand by your side, but send me away?" she asked, hurt.

"Elijah and Rebekah are my siblings, and Stefan…he helped me too, through the fight for New Orleans. They were all there through the worst, they didn't try to stop me or judge me, they were just supportive through it all."

"So let _me _help you now! Please Klaus, I can't just let you walk away and do nothing! "

"You can and you will, sweetheart. We will take of care of this, I promise. Now go, quickly, and I'll meet you at home." He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly, pressing a quick kiss to her temple. Caroline wanted to grab him, force him to take her along, but a blink and he was gone, leaving her to stumble forward slightly, disoriented by the sudden disappearance of his steady presence. Gripping the balcony railing she looked out for him or the others, but couldn't make out a single familiar face.

'_Deep breaths, Caroline, deep breaths, he's trying to protect you, he's not being a dick on purpose.'_

The thought did nothing to ease her quickly mounting temper. Fighting the urge to stamp her foot like a child, she marched through the crowd, elbowing anybody in her way to the side, not caring if they realized her superior strength or not. As she found herself on the street she contemplated just melding into the party and trying to continue the night she wanted to have but it would've been a futile attempt. Intentionally pissing off Klaus by dancing with some drunken frat boy would just make her feel guilty in the long run and probably end in bloodshed. Besides, she'd probably be worrying about him all night and that just killed her party mood.

Sighing, she shoved her way through the horde and started to make her way home; trying to think up some convincing arguments that would prove to Klaus she wasn't such a fragile doll. As the crowds thinned out somewhat in the quieter residential streets away from the heart of the Quarter, the vampires on Klaus' side became obvious, she could feel their eyes on her and it irritated her to no end that they were witnessing her exclusion. The one thing she had wanted to avoid was appearing even weaker in their eyes, and yet here she was, the blonde cheerleader, unable to cut it with the grittier side of New Orleans, running home to hide from the fight.

'_You know what? Fuck it.' _

It was irrational, petty, and possibly suicidal, but Caroline abandoned her human speed and ran full out through the streets of the city, rounding corners and doubling back on her path without any thought to where she was going. There wasn't much of a point to what she was doing, all she knew was that she wanted to lose her 'babysitters' as quickly as possible. Skidding to a stop, she took deep breaths, and looked around, finding herself underneath an intricate black gateway.

'_LAFAYETTE CEMETERY NO. 1'_

"Seriously?" Of all the places to end up in, a _cemetery_? Well, at least it was probably the only place in the city right now that could afford her some peace and quiet. Strolling in, she took in the historic graves, wondering if Klaus had known any of the dead. It didn't even feel creepy, just…peaceful. But in a supernatural town, peace never lasts.

"Sweetcheeks? Is that you?"

Caroline whipped her head around to face a small group of four coming towards her. She was stunned to recognize the leader of the pack, Vincent, who had managed to recover after Klaus' torture session last week.

"Well darlin', aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" Without the cuts and bruises he was able to shoot her a full lascivious grin and eyed her up and down, sending a shiver down Caroline's spine. She could feel the frustration at her own recklessness rising, if she got out of this, Klaus was going to give her an earful. '_Well, maybe he never has to find out.' _

"You look…better" she said diplomatically, trying not to appear too nervous.

"All thanks to you, cutie," he said happily. "Caroline here got me out of Mikaelson's house last week when I got grabbed, she was a real peach" he explained to the others, who were eyeing her suspiciously.

"Are you here for the meetin' darlin'?" asked Vincent.

Caroline panicked internally, deciding to play along and see if she couldn't talk her way out of this. "Well…I heard about the meeting, but I'm not sure if I'll actually be going. I don't want to…uh..."

"Lemme guess – you don't want the Big Bad Wolf to know you're here?" said Vincent, and he actually looked sympathetic. "You should come. Help us. The sooner we take the fucker down, the sooner you're free to go on a date."

"What, does he just keep you like some twisted sex slave?" asked a short redhead next to him.

Caroline fought the urge to lunge at the bitch but reasoned that four against one were probably not good odds. "It's…complicated" she muttered, lowering her gaze to the ground, hoping it would shut them up.

"Cool it Lissy, you know Mikaelson's twisted," snapped Vincent and he turned to Caroline with an apologetic look. He stepped forward and put his hand on her arm in what he probably thought was a comforting gesture but it just made Caroline want to gag.

"Relax sweetcheeks, we've got this. I'll find you when this is done and we'll have some fun, whaddaya say?" He winked at her, then stepped back and led the others through the cemetery.

Caroline was left by herself once again and she took deep breaths, feeling the adrenaline course through her body. Now was the time to be smart. She didn't know what could've just happened and she didn't know who else could come along, but they probably wouldn't be so gullible. Now was the time to actually get home, wait for Klaus, and tell him that there were mysterious meetings going on in cemeteries and hope that he didn't put her under house arrest.

'_On the other hand…'_

This could be the only opportunity she'd ever get to play a part in this and some childish, insecure piece of her wanted so badly to prove her worth, to Klaus, to his minions and honestly, to herself. Who was she to waste it? She took a breath and squared her shoulders, putting on her best game face before following the path Vincent and his friends had taken.

The rows of crypts formed a maze which Caroline did her best to navigate, hoping she wasn't getting herself lost in the process. She could just make out the faint sound of voices in the distance, but she fought the instinct to run towards it, not wanting to alert anyone to her presence. As she got closer to the voices, she grew more confused because Vincent and his friends were nowhere to be found. Whipping her head around she finally pinpointed the origin of the sounds coming from inside a large marble crypt. As she crept closer, she noticed the door was ajar and realized this was the 'meeting place'.

Caroline flashed towards the parted doorway, trying to make out what was being said, but any conversation was still muffled. Frowning, she chanced a peek in the crypt and found no one inside, just a large mahogany coffin on the tiled floor which had been pushed to the side, revealing a staircase leading underground. She tiptoed into the crypt and stood for a moment at the top of the stone steps, contemplating whether or not it would be wise to go down.

"_Whaddya say, can we take the bastard out by the end of the week?"_

Caroline inhaled sharply, recognizing Vincent's voice and the less distinct rumble of a second male answering him. Whatever was said must have been convincing because a cheer erupted from below and the she felt her blood turn to ice. How many people were down there? Just how many people were plotting to kill the people, the man, which she loved? There was no turning back now, no way in hell she could just walk away from this.

Barely making a sound, Caroline descended one step at a time. The end of the staircase was just before a long dank tunnel, lit with a few torches. At the end of the corridor, light shone out of an entrance on the right wall. She tried to time her footsteps to whenever someone was talking to mask the sound, while still attempting to pay attention to every detail of what was being said so that she could report it later. Once at the bottom, she kept her back to one of the corridor's walls, slowly easing her way towards the archway at the end, stopping just outside the space where the rogues were gathered. She held her breath and listened to what sounded like a small party, bottles were being passed around and smashed on the ground, the laughter was free and loud, and several conversations were going on all at once.

"_You think we can burn the fucker's mansion to the ground?"_

"_Not before we trash the place!" _

"_What're we gonna do about his brother and sister?"_

"_Who the fuck cares?"_

"_Hey Vincent, why didn't he just die when you staked the dick last week?" _

"_Dunno, but I'll be using a larger one next time!" _

Caroline shut her eyes and felt her fingernails cut into her palm as she clenched her hands at her side. She would've taken deep breaths to try and ease out her fury, but there was a good chance she'd be heard. Though, she wasn't sure it even mattered. Who the fuck really cared if they dragged her in there, they were threatening everything she held dear, and nobody, _nobody, _threatened the loved ones of Caroline Forbes. As their chatter grew louder, she understood that whoever this group was, they were idiots; they didn't know the first thing about taking down Original Vampires. The thought made her feel better, knowing that if any of them came after Klaus, they'd end up like Vincent had, locked in a cell and bleeding out.

(That visual should not have made her so happy.)

All at once, the voices died. Caroline's eyes snapped open in horror, wondering if she'd been heard somehow, but not daring to move in case they caught her. Then, a powerful, more commanding presence began to speak, probably their leader.

"Now, we all know why we're here. The usurper, the outsider, Niklaus Mikaelson walked into our city and demanded control. When we fought back, he brought war to our streets, caused the deaths of thousands, and then swindled away the rightful command of the Quarter from its true leader, Marcel!"

His words were met with cries of anger. He spoke with an assured conviction, though angry, he did not lose his temper like the others seemed to, but remained in check. Caroline guessed he must have been somewhat older than the others.

"And how does he treat his defeated foe, his own progeny? He ripped out the heart of our friend, our leader, our _TRUE KING!" _

Again, more cries of dissent, bottles were thrown against the stone fall, shattering to pieces.

"Now, can we allow such an act to go unavenged?"

"_NO!_"

"Landon, I tried to kill him last week when you were gone, but the dick's got some kinda protection against stakes!" said Vincent.

Caroline contained her gasp, and put two and two together; this leader was the mysterious 'Landon' whom had been so loyal to Marcel, whom Klaus and Elijah were looking for. She desperately wanted to leave and call them, but she was torn between terror at being caught and wanting to learn as much as possible.

"I appreciate your bravery, Vincent. But you're young, you all are. Marcel may have chosen and turned all of you to aid his cause but you were witness to only the last few months of the war for New Orleans, you are not aware of the constrictions on bringing about the rightful death Mikaelson and his family deserve. Original vampires are impervious to the sun, to wood, to the methods that would destroy any other of our species."

'_Damn straight, you son of a bitch.'_

"But have faith. The false charms of Elijah Mikaelson may have convinced the witches here to turn a blind eye to the reality of the situation, but there are other witches all over the country who are more than happy to consult with their sisters on the Other Side, and they have spoken of methods to turn his body to a tomb, stop his heart and render him immobile. We do not have to truly kill him to give him the defeat he deserves!"

'_Oh, fuck.' _

Landon's speech brought on a new round of cheers and Caroline could feel the nausea building up in the pit of her stomach. Her hands shook and she knew that she needed to find Klaus, he needed to hear this _now, _before anything to be done about it. But before she could think of a reasonable escape route, Landon's slow, measured timbre began again.

"Now, before I share more of my plans with you, I believe my manners have been remiss. We have a guest waiting outside whom I'm sure is just dying to enter."

'_OH. FUCK.'_

Caroline barely had time to register her terror before she bolted straight for the staircase only to feel a pair of arms grab her around the waist and pull her backwards before she even reached the bottom step. She screamed and kicked against the hold but her captor was stronger and soon she was dragged into the meeting room and thrown to the center, landing in an unceremonious heap on the cold ground. Looking up she realized it was Landon himself who had grabbed her, and was now standing over her, smirking. Gritting her teeth, Caroline flashed to her feet and took in the spacious cave, currently housing about twenty vampires who were staring at her with varying degrees of aggression. They spread out, encircling her and Landon, and stood in front of the only exit. She was well and properly trapped.

Caroline took a breath and resolved not to give any of them the satisfaction of seeing her fear or hearing any fruitless demands to let her go. Instead, she bravely met Landon's gaze, who looked like Christmas had come early.

"Well, well, I knew we had a visitor, but I never expected Mikaelson's _whore_ to pay us a visit."

"I'm no one's _whore_" she seethed, but her anger only earned a dark chuckle.

"But you stand by his side, correct? What does that make you then, our Queen?" he asked with amusement. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I do believe we have the Queen of New Orleans in our midst!"

The room erupted in laughter and it sent a shiver up her spine; if there was any way she could get out of this alive, she would have to think of something very clever, very fast, but her hope was fading quickly.

"Landon, I think she might be cool…" Vincent stepped forward, looking a little uncertain. "She helped me out of Mikaelson's dungeon when he took me for tryin' to kill him."

Landon never took his eyes off Caroline but gave a little sigh and rolled his eyes. "She 'helped' you out? And Mikaelson never found out? You think he would just let her live after freeing a prisoner? Have you heard nothing of the terror that monster has inflicted?"

"Marcel was just as cruel!" she snapped without thinking. In one quick motion, Landon raised his hand and struck her across her face. She gasped at the sudden sting, one hand rubbing her reddened cheek.

"Klaus Mikaelson was, and still is, poison to our home. I would not care even if you had good intentions; your association with him has signed your death warrant." He smirked and walked closer to her until their chests brushed and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Such a shame, that someone so young and innocent shall be lost. Just the same way Klaus destroyed all that we held dear, now he will feel our pain."

She balled her hands into fists and willed herself to stay still. If these were her last few moments, she would not show them how scared she was. She would prove herself, if only for a moment. And if she had to die, she was taking this bastard with her.

"You're so sure that I'm innocent?" she asked quietly, keeping emotion out of her tone.

He chuckled again, still close to her. "You're nothing more than an insignificant wisp of a girl, easily done away with and easily forgotten."

He started to laugh again, before the sound was cut off by him choking. His body stiffened, and face froze in shock. In their close proximity, he had let down his guard. He had underestimated her anger. He had failed to stop her hand plunging into his ribcage.

Caroline held a breath as her hand closed around Landon's heart. The vampires around them made no move, too stunned. This feeling was foreign, the feeling of literally holding someone's life in your hands. This was the point of no return.

'_Inhale, exhale.'_

She kept her grip and stood on her tiptoes so that she was the one whispering in his ear. "You should show your _Queen_ some respect."

She ripped out his heart and he crumbled before her.

"_Caroline…"_

Her head whipped up and she saw Klaus, standing at the entrance to the chamber. He stood stock still, eyes wide and focused on the organ in her hands and the body at her feet. Elijah, Rebekah, Stefan and some other vampires flanked him, but nobody moved, all seemed to be in awe of her. Or maybe time was just moving in slow-motion for Caroline who had now met Klaus' gaze which had turned into a mix of fury and…admiration?

Before she could blink or register what she had done, there was suddenly chaos. The vampires rushed at the new arrivals and heads rolled, blood spilled, the sound of pained cries and limbs being ripped from bodies echoing off the walls. Klaus was by Caroline's side in an instant, growling fiercely at anyone near them, easily pulling out the hearts of their nearest assailants. Caroline watched his back, throwing punches and snapping the necks of a few that lunged for her throat. The young vampires were no match for the Originals, Stefan or their allies, all of whom were at least a few decades older than the rebels. Panting, Caroline noticed that the onslaught was lessening, about half of the rogues were dead, but the others weren't coming after them – they were _scared_. Several had backed up to walls, watching in horror as their friends dropped like flies, they didn't dare try to escape past Stefan and Rebekah who were blocking the exit.

'_This needs to end. This has got to end now.'_

"ENOUGH!" Caroline was shocked that her order was more or less obeyed. Klaus and Elijah each held a rogue by the throat, Stefan and Rebekah were warily watching a couple who were trying to escape and the vampires helping Klaus had a few pinned down, but for the most part, the occupants' attention turned to her. Licking her lips, she searched for her most convincing argument, and pulled herself together, standing straight and tall, head held high.

"This has gone on long enough. Your leader is dead. Your friends are dead and there's a good chance you will be too, but this bloodshed has got to stop! You've already been through war. This is supposed to be peacetime." She gulped down another breath, not knowing how this next part was going to go over. "We will offer you clemency. Your lives will be spared if you pledge your loyalty to us."

Klaus growled next to her, his eyes tinged with gold, betraying how furious he was. "Caroline, what the hell are you trying to -"

"Klaus, this has to end! We need _peace. _New Orleans has to be united!"

"Caroline is right." Elijah's voice was firm and he looked at her with a small smile of approval before turning to the rest of the room. "My family will extend the same terms of peace we offered to the French Quarter witches in the wake of Marcel's death, with your pledges that you never make a move to threaten our positions of power again. Do you accept our offer?"

One by one the young rebels nodded, the bravest of the lot having already been killed. All that was left was a small bunch of baby vampires who had been forcibly thrust into this game without any proper understanding of the rules or the players. Caroline felt some measure of sympathy for what they were going through.

Klaus was still livid, though, another growl tearing from his throat. Meeting his brother's stern gaze and Caroline's pleading look, he inhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, a sure sign that he was trying to reign in his anger. Once his fangs had retracted and the gold in his eyes had disappeared, he addressed the cowering vampires. "Very well, you shall have your pardons. But know this – if you ever come near my family, if you ever threaten my power, should I _ever _hear the slightest hint of rebellion, I will destroy you so completely, you will _beg_ me for a swift death. Am I understood?"

His audience nodded through their terror.

Elijah stepped into the center of the room, "Allow me to outline the terms of our peace." As he began to talk, Klaus pulled Caroline to his side and they made their way to the open archway. As they passed Vincent, who had survived the massacre, she heard him mutter under his breath bitterly.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Sweetcheeks."

In a flash, Caroline had extracted herself from Klaus' hold and was pressing Vincent to the wall with her forearm against his throat.

"Call me Sweetcheeks again, and I'll tear out your tongue."

He nodded dumbly, and Caroline released him, turning back to Elijah and giving him a small nod. He sent a small smile back and continued with his negotiations. With snarl directed at Vincent, Klaus tugged Caroline back to him and they made their way to the exit where Stefan and Rebekah still stood guard. Stefan grinned at them and came forward to clap Klaus on the shoulder.

"You guys can take off…I bet you have a lot to talk about. Don't worry; we've got everything locked down here."

Both of them nodded gratefully at him before starting down the long corridor.

"Wait, Caroline," said Rebekah. They turned back to face her and she looked at Caroline with a proud smile. "Well done."

Caroline grinned back and then both her and Klaus walked back up the stairs into the cool New Orleans night.

* * *

For some reason, every significant conversation between Klaus and Caroline seemed to take place in the living room in front of the roaring fire. At least now it served to warm the chill in the air. As they entered the mansion they automatically took their places there first, not even bothering to wash the blood of their hands, knowing that they had to talk about what happened sooner or later. Caroline remained in the center of the room, fiddling with her hands as she watched Klaus make a beeline for the scotch, pouring himself a glass and downing it in a second before pouring himself another. This one he sipped slowly, standing in front the flames. He kept his back to her but she could practically feel the fury radiating off him in waves.

"I knew about the rebels. I knew that they were young, I knew that they were angry and I knew they were plotting something." His voice was eerily calm, but his grip on his drink caused the fine crystal to crack slightly, betraying the turmoil he felt. "Landon had been Marcel's right hand for years; I knew he wouldn't take his death lightly. I knew that he was leading the insurgency." He gulped the rest of his scotch down and threw the glass into the fireplace, causing Caroline to flinch. He spun on his feet and stared her down, his emotions coming out full force.

"My followers had been collecting information on them for weeks, we knew that tonight they would be gathering, we had a good idea where, and we were ready to quench this before it ever got serious! I had this under control! _I didn't need you to be there!" _he spat, coming close to her and grabbing her by her upper arms, stopping just short of literally shaking sense into her.

Caroline didn't cower back from his anger, she had been around him enough to know that he would never seriously hurt her and this was not the time to show any kind of fear or regret for her actions. Because, honestly – she didn't regret any of it. Maybe it was unwise, she nearly died and it was only due to luck of timing that the others had showed up, but for one moment she had stood on her own for what she believed in and _damn _it felt good.

"Have you ever considered that I _wanted _to be there?!" she yelled back at him. "It's been years since I was that Barbie doll, only good for _distracting_ people, I'm never going back to that! I'm never going to stop wanting to help you!"

He looked taken back but kept his grip on her arms. "Sweetheart, I just…I never wanted you to be in the middle of this" he said, more gently, but still stern.

Caroline scoffed and shrugged off his hold, taking a few steps away from him and running her bloodied hands through her hair in frustration. "Well, tough, because I am in the middle!"

"But you didn't want this, Caroline, this whole business of ripping out hearts and raining down death, that's not what you ever wanted to be!"

She looked back at him in shock. _'How can he be so thick?' _"Did you miss what just happened?" she asked incredulously. He started to respond but she cut him off sharply.

"_NO! _You don't get to talk! You're going to listen to me! God, you don't get it, do you? _I know who I am. _Ever since I let Katherine blackmail me to save Matt, ever since I killed those witches for Bonnie, I will _always _want to save the people I love!"

"Caroline…"

"And I love you! _You. _I will _kill _to protect you!" She ended her rant, breathing heavily. Klaus looked completely thrown, as if he had never had somebody so intent on protecting him out of love, or at least who was so hell bent on overlooking their own safety to do so. The sad thing was, Caroline knew, that was probably true.

Klaus took a deep breath, and tried to keep his tone even. "Caroline, love…you know how much more fragile you are than me. I'm the Original Hybrid, _I can't be killed. _It would be impossible –"

"Like it was impossible for us?" she asked quietly.

"What?"

"Like it was impossible, for a group of young vampires and a witch from a small town to figure out a way to desiccate you? Like it was impossible for a second white oak tree to exist? Like it was _impossible_ for your mother to create another vampire hunter and send him after you?"

"Caroline, those threats have been long since extinguished."

"But don't you get it?!" She walked up to him and cupped his face, trying to get him to see her point. "There are no certainties for us, not in this world! Every time we think we know one of the rules about being a vampire, or a hybrid, somebody goes and breaks them, and I can't, I can't just sit around and do nothing while someone, somewhere figures out the one thing we never thought of!"

He took a sharp breath, eyes widening at her words, and finally, _finally, _she knows that he understands. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and readied himself for what he knew he had to say.

"You're right, sweetheart. It was wrong of me to push you aside. I…apologize for my actions. But Caroline, you must promise me, _never _do something like that, by yourself, again. If I hadn't gotten the call about you running off, if we hadn't figured out the right meeting place, if we had been just a second too late…" He trailed off and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to forget the moment of sheer panic when he thought he might not be able to save her. He felt her arms wrap around his neck as she leant her head against his chest.

"I'm sorry for that too," she said softly. "But we'll never really know what I can do if I don't get the chance."

"This isn't over, you know. There'll probably be something around the corner, ready to challenge us."

She nodded against his chest. "You're probably right. But at least we have more allies here. At least we managed to get peace in our city."

He smiled at her words, pulling away slightly so that he could lean down and brush his lips against hers. "_Our _city," he murmured quietly. "I like that."

Caroline smiled against his lips, but pulled back to look at him seriously. "Klaus, I know that I want to do this, I want to stand by your side but…you have to promise, you'll never let me forget myself."

He nodded solemnly. "Never, sweetheart."

She grinned and pushed him back until his legs hit the leather sofa and he sat down, she kneeled on either side of him, straddling his waist. "But no keeping me in the dark either. We do this together, or not at all."

She leant down to kiss him thoroughly, feeling his hands grip her waist tightly before running down over her thighs where he drew patterns on her bare skin. She shivered at his touch, before noticing that they were both still grimy and bloodstained from their earlier skirmish.

"Klaus…Nik, we can't do this now, we're covered in blood," she said with a small giggle.

He smirked back at her, then stood up smoothly, taking her with him and wrapping her legs around his waist. "A shower then, what do you say, sweetheart?"

"Just a shower?" she asked coyly.

"Well, we'll see where the night takes us," he replied, his voice husky and in the next moment, he had flashed them away.

* * *

Another day during Mardis Gras season meant another party, this one thrown by the Royal Family of New Orleans themselves, which of course meant, everyone had to attend.

Vampires old and young, werewolves from several surrounding packs, even witches who looked fairly uneasy tried to mingle in the crowd and just enjoy the atmosphere. Despite what had happened just a few days ago, Elijah had made good on his word, and a newfound sense of peace allowed for the attendees to forget about bloodshed and just savour the jazz that wafted through the air. The bar thrummed with life, beads jangled, laughter rang out, and they all danced to the music without a care in the world. After all, it was Mardis Gras.

Up at the bar top, Camille served up shots to some young vampires who had recently come to the city for the festival season. They eagerly downed their drinks before calling over the bartender.

"You guys need more?"

"No thanks Cami, we were just wondering, what do you know about _them_?" One of the vampires pointed to the beautiful couple who had walked in arm in arm, both exuding an air of power and confidence. They barely seemed to notice how the crowd parted deferentially, how the assembled partiers looked on with barely concealed awe, instead, both blondes headed straight for a booth where they were given a measure of privacy while being able to survey the crowd, which went back to partying almost immediately.

Camille smiled, "Well, the guy is the 'Original Hybrid' Klaus Mikaelson. And the girl is his…well, I guess you could say she's the Queen Bee around here, Caroline Forbes."

The young vampires exchanged surprised looks. "_That's _Caroline Forbes? She doesn't look too scary."

Camille chuckled, "Careful, don't try anything with her. You fuck with Klaus and he'll kill you. You fuck with Caroline and he'll make you beg for your own death."

The vampires jumped a little and immediately stopped staring at the happy couple, who were thankfully too wrapped up in each other to notice.

"All I've heard from the vampires here for the past two days is 'Caroline Forbes.' They say, she tore out the hearts of twenty vampires for trying to go after Klaus," said one of the newcomers in a hushed tone. His friend nodded in agreement.

"I've heard, they call her the 'Queen of Hearts'.

* * *

"_I've heard they call her the 'Queen of Hearts."_

Caroline frowned as she overheard her new nickname. "I hate that they call me that, you know," she said with a small pout, "I only ripped out _one _heart, I don't know where they heard twenty."

Klaus chuckled and pulled her closer against him in the leather seat, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Don't fret love, the reputation may not match the reality, but does it matter if it means they're too scared to make a move against you?"

Caroline pondered that, wasn't this what she wanted? A fearsome reputation, without losing herself? In the end, she supposed it wasn't so bad and there was no reason Miss Mystic Falls couldn't have some fun with their assumptions…

With a small giggle, she turned her head and pecked Klaus on the lips. "You're right. I can definitely make this work."

He smirked and leaned in close to give her a proper kiss but was soon interrupted.

"You guys have got to stop coming out in public with us, you're embarrassing." Caroline looked up to see Stefan sliding into the booth with Rebekah and Elijah following, carrying drinks for the table.

"Must you always interrupt us?" asked Klaus with a light growl.

"Always and forever, brother!" replied Rebekah happily. She passed around the drinks before lifting her own.

"A toast! To being able to stop rebellion in time for a good party – to Mardis Gras!"

"To Mardis Gras!" they chorused. Caroline felt Klaus' hand wrap around the top of her thigh under the table and gave it a light squeeze before leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"I have my own toast, love. Long live the Queen of New Orleans."

* * *

**And that's a wrap! Few points:**

**1) I spent about an hour on a Lousiana real estate website and I'm not sure there's such a thing as 'quiet residential streets' around the French Quarter. So any New Orleans locals reading this can just...ignore that. **

**2) That line about the rules of being a vampire always changing just when you think you've figured them out is inspired by and directed towards Julie Plec. That's right Julie, I'm still not buying the pregnancy thing. **

**3) Just in case anyone's confused, this whole fic takes place about the week before the actual day of Mardis Gras when the festivities are ramping up, not on the day itself (so it's not just one long night.) **

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Is Caroline a convincing queen? Did she find the balance between ruling and being herself? What's your favourite gumbo recipe? **

**And now I'm going to reblog some more 4x23 gifsets. Hope you enjoyed!**


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